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A single-session acceptance and commitment therapy intervention among women undergoing surgery for breast cancer: A randomized pilot trial to reduce persistent postsurgical pain
Journal article   Peer reviewed

A single-session acceptance and commitment therapy intervention among women undergoing surgery for breast cancer: A randomized pilot trial to reduce persistent postsurgical pain

Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Lilian N Dindo, Roohina Wajid, Sonia L Sugg, M Bridget Zimmerman and Barbara A Rakel
Psycho-oncology (Chichester, England), Vol.28(11), pp.2210-2217
11/2019
DOI: 10.1002/pon.5209
PMCID: PMC8908355
PMID: 31430830
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/8908355View
Open Access

Abstract

Oncologic breast surgeries carry a risk for persistent postsurgical pain. This study was a randomized pilot and feasibility study of a single-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention compared with treatment as usual among women undergoing surgery for breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ. Participants were recruited via letter of invitation and follow-up phone call from a single site in the United States from 2015 to 2017. Participants were at risk for persistent postsurgical pain, based on young age (<50), a preexisting chronic pain condition, or elevated anxiety, depression, or pain catastrophizing. The 54 participants were female with a mean age of 52.91 years (SD=11.80). At 3-month postsurgery, 11% of the sample reported moderate-severe pain (>3 on a 0-10 numeric rating scale) in the operative breast or with arm movement. Written qualitative responses indicated that the majority of participants who received the intervention understood the concepts presented and reported continued practice of exercises learned in the session. The between group effect sizes for moderate-severe pain and elevated anxiety at 3-month post-surgery were small (Phi=0.08 and 0.16, respectively). The between group effect sizes for depression, pain acceptance, and pain catastrophizing at 3-month postsurgery were minimal. This study found small positive effects on postsurgical pain and anxiety for a single-session ACT intervention among women with breast cancer. This study supports the use of ACT with this population.
 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - methods Adaptation, Psychological Adult Anxiety - psychology Breast Neoplasms - psychology Breast Neoplasms - surgery Catastrophization - prevention & control Catastrophization - psychology Depression - psychology Female Humans Middle Aged Pain, Postoperative - prevention & control Pain, Postoperative - psychology Pilot Projects Reconstructive Surgical Procedures

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